The Ascent of NZ Cricket

[TheDevil666]

With a deep sense of fear I enter into the first ODI. Ryder opens with McIntosh and De Terte makes his debut.



I win the toss and bat first.

NZ Innings

That's what I was fearing. We lose a wicket in the first over but recover to 36/1 at the end of the first PowerPlay. Taylor went shortly after but McIntosh got through to his 50 to give us a good platform, 90/2 after 20 overs. 15 overs later it was 168/5 after McIntosh had gone for 88 which leaft us hoping of getting 260-odd. Williamson then backed up the good work of McIntosh by hitting a T20 style 50. This was backed up by scores of 20-30 by Vettori and Franklin. At the end we made 272/9.

Bangladesh Innings

We only had to bowl decent and we would win. 46/1 after 6 overs wasn't a good start. Jeez, that's nearly 8 an over! Even getting Iqbal didn't slow them up and the score was 137-3 after 24 overs. AL Hasan hit a run-a-ball 115 as they romped by 7 wickets with 9 overs left :MAD:

[6ry4nj]

You have my sympathy, mate, honestly.

The game rates their team better (more stars) than yours. You can take some consolation from that, them being 'better' means you don't have to blame yourself for losing.

On the other hand, if you're after some advice, let us know.

[TheDevil666]

Thanks for that, I really appreciate it. I sense this story could be coming to a close in the near future....

[TheDevil666]

Going into the 2nd Odi I'm suprisingly upbeat. Things can't get any worse! Oram comes in for Williamson in the only change. We have to win this to keep the series alive.

I win the toss and decide to field first.

Bang Innings

Their openers continued their good work from the last ODI. They put on a breezy 82 partnership from 19.5 overs before Ryder removed Nafees. Hom and Iqbal did even better - they took the score to 230 before Hom nicked behind on 82. They were heading over 300! Iqbal was out after a superb run-a-ball 112 and after that Bangladesh fell apart. They made 285-8. It's...gettable but we'll have to be perfect with our batting.

NZ Innings

We tried racing out of the blocks, something which we've never done before! We lost McIntosh after a decent start and it was 49/1 after the opening 10 overs. We tried keeping ahead but then Jesse Ryder was the unfortuante victim of a run out. 89/3 after 17 overs. We needed a good partnership. No such partnerships emerged and we were skittled out 96 runs short to lose (another) series.

In the 3rd ODI we salvaged some pride to win by 6 wickets but still lost the series 2-1 and move down to 7th in the ODI ladder. Next up a visit from the Indians in 2 Tests, 1 T20 and 5 ODIs. This will probably be the last tour before the story and my reign as NZ coach comes to an end - unless I see some improvement!

[TheDevil666]

We go into the 2 test series against India as severe underdogs. The only bonus is we won't lose any World Rating points from this ordeal. The Indians are so confident they're using 2 debutants!

Teams

I win the toss and bat.

Day One

We made a bright start. 67/0 and Raval was racing along, fresh after his efforts in the last Test Match where he scored 2 Hundreds. Then India introduced Singh into the attack and we were 74/2 at lunch, Raval and Taylor gone. Harbajan then bowled magically in the afternoon - 6/51 and we were rolled out for 163. After a bright start that is very disappointing. Raval top scored with 43. The way the other tests have gone I'll predict India to make 600. Our bowling attack did well defensively but they had no means of attack. 79/2 at the close India.

Day Two

Rahane got to 75* at lunch as India wiped out our lead and built their own for the loss of only 1 wicket in the morning. Our bowling attack proving it has no conviction. Nayar made his own 50 in the afternoon and Rahane powered past 100 as we could get no wickets in the afternoon. Frustrating. 365/5 at the close, Nayar out just after he made his 100. Meanwhile Rahane had gone past the 150 mark.

Day Three

We worked manfully through the India batting order - never giving up. Fallah carried his bat through the entire innings as Idia declared on 506-9 just before tea on day 3. 343 was the lead. AT least we managed to survive until tea - 17/0. Our openers put on another good stand and lasted through to stumps. 76/0 at the close but still a monumental 267 behind.

Day Four

McIntosh was out to the second ball of the day and I immediately feared the worst (a collapse) but it didn't materialise in the morning. Raval and Taylor fended off the Indians until lunch - 174/1. Shortly after lunch Raval brought up another test hundred, fair play to the lad. Taylor brought up his 50 as well and these two strong athletes moved the team to 238/1 at tea. But we still trailed by 105 runs. Taylor was out a hour into the evening session on 94. Heartbreak from him - he deserved another hundred. The floodgates didn't open when De Terte came in and it was 305/2 at stumps, Raval 164*.

Day Five

Oh dear. De Terte was bowled in the first over of the morning. Then Raval top-edged one and it hovered and it was dropped by the fielder! Raval is saved! The new batsman Flynn then smashed a 4 to take us into the lead! We were in the lead! Something even greater happened a moment later - Raval got his double century. What a player! But then he was trapped LBW. How gutting. Flynn went shortly after and we were 5 down at lunch with a lead of 53. Franklin and Derek were at the crease with only the Captain to come. Eek. 465/6 at tea though and we might just survive. Franklin was the man out for 46. Could we pull off the greatest of escapes? Derek made 50 and he and Vettori saw off the first hour. They soon went and by then it was safe. We finished 538/9 and Mission Impossible was accomplished!

[TheDevil666]

Here we go the second and final test and after our heroics last time (mainly Raval) we hope to get a least a tied series. We can do it!

Woodcock makes his debut in place of Butler. He's a SLA and can bat a bit as well!

I lose the toss and am stuck in under cloudy skies.

Day One

Remember how Singh ripped through our top order in the last test. This time it was Sharma's turn. He reduced us to 43/3 at lunch in a rain-affected session with Raval, McIntosh and Taylor back in the pavillion. It didn't get much better in the afternoon - 113/5 and we were staring down the barrel with great fear. With Franklin making a battling 50 and Vettori hanging around we moved to 167/6 at the close. Slow because the wicket was in a dreadful state and their bowlers were eerily accurate.

Day Two

I'd setlle for 275. Franklin moved to 88* and Vettori supported him until he was out. Then Woodcock came to the crease on debut and did well to up our scoring rate - 234/7 at lunch. Woodcock wnet cheaply and we were eventually bowled out for 311 early in the evening. We batted very slowly, just over 2 a over, but the wicket had worsened. Could our bowlers get stuck in? Well Mills and Southee shared a wicket apiece as India were 30/2 at the close. Can we go in for the kill?

Day Three

No. We got a wicket early but Gambhir was solid reaching 50 and it was 126/3 at lunch, still 185 behind. Gambhir reached his 100 with a massive six as India took control of the game - 226/4 at tea. Could we force a collapse under the heavy cloud? The answer was again no. 349/5 with Gambhir still there at the close signalled an end to our hopes of winning.

Day Four

India declared early in the afternoon on 509/5 (the same number as before, is that a good omen?). We trailed by 198 and had to bat out nearly 5 sessions. We lost Raval in just the 3rd over and were 0/1. McIntosh and Taylor stood up to the challenge and survived until the close - 77/1 off 54 overs! We still trailed by 121 runs and would need to survive about 85 overs tomorrow.

Day Five

Ross Taylor made 59 before he was caught and was out. De Terte made only 9 before he was castled. Amidst the wreckage McIntosh stood out by making his 50 and staying unbeaten throughout the morning session. 134/3 and Flynn was supporting him well. We had only one loss during the afternoon and it was McIntosh. On the plus side we cut the lead down to 7 and were only 4 wickets down. Surely not? We have! Flynn and Franklin secured another priceless draw and we drew a series 0-0! The first series where I haven't lost and it's thanks to 2 brilliant rearguards!

[cardassian]

Congrats on the drawn series.
Especially against India.

[Chasjs]

Just keep plugging away. The wins will come!!!

[TheDevil666]

And that drawn series 0-0 marks the end of this woeful tale. I hope you'e enjoyed it as much as I have and would like to thank anyone who has read it. I want to give extra thanks to those who commented as well. I'll be writing a new story for ICC 2011 with my home country, England. Hopefuly I will do better there. GoodNight.